Reissue: This release includes two corrections to income data. Decile boundaries used to construct Gross Weekly Income In Deciles have been corrected and a correction has also been applied to the income range for Equivalised Household Income. This reissue was released on 01/09/2010.

14/03/2014 Note: Error in the derivation of alcohol consumption risk levels for people drinking at 'low risk' and 'risky' levels.

Risk of harm from alcohol consumption in the long term (chronic risk)

In the 2002 and 2008 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Surveys (NATSISS), the 2001 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines were incorrectly applied, such that males who reported four standard drinks (50 mls of alcohol) and females who reported two standard drinks (25 mls of alcohol) were categorised as drinking at 'risky' rather than 'low risk' levels. Males reporting seven or more standard drinks and females reporting five or more standard drinks were correctly categorised as being at 'high risk' of harm.

Risk of harm from alcohol consumption in the short term (acute risk)

In the 2002 and 2008 NATSISS, the 2001 NHMRC Guidelines were incorrectly applied, such that males who reported six standard drinks (75 mls of alcohol) and females who reported four standard drinks (50 mls of alcohol) were categorised as drinking at 'risky' rather than 'low risk' levels. Males reporting eleven or more standard drinks and females reporting seven or more standard drinks were correctly categorised as being at 'high risk' of harm.

An Information Paper outlining the nature and extent of the error and including revised data has been published (cat. no. 4714.0.55.005). In addition to the revised data in the Information Paper, the ABS has also provided a set of data cubes with more detailed information.

Users of the NATSISS 2008 CURF are advised not to use the following items to calculate alcohol consumption risk levels based on 2001 NHMRC Guidelines:

RSKY12M (Risky alcohol consumption - 12 month (2002 comparison))

RSKY2WK (Risky alcohol consumption - 2 weeks (2002 comparison))

Instead, the data items shown in the table below should be used to calculate alcohol consumption risk levels (based on 2001 NHMRC Guidelines).

CURF Data items to use to calculate alcohol consumption risk levels, based on 2001 NHMRC guidelines(a)

Alcohol consumption risk level

SAS name

Data item

Chronic risky/high risk alcohol consumption

DALYALC

Average daily consumption of alcohol in last 12 months (standard drinks)